Thursday, June 4, 2009

Warning to all real ale fans....


A beer festival right in the heart of Tonbridge at The Tonbridge Juddians Rugby Clubhouse, on the weekend of July 3rd, 4th and 5th. Thirty different beers, local ciders £2.50 a pint. What's not to like?!..

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

Promoting boozing in the area. Not a good thing. This is something we can do without. As if we aren't unhealthy enough in Tonbridge!

Petrolstationvillage

Paul Bailey said...

Lots of things to like and hopefully Tonbridge residents will give the event their full support.

I helped out at the last two South East SIBA Beer Festivals held at the Hop Farm, and am looking forward to the festival coming to Tonbridge.

Bex said...

Brilliant news. Just brilliant. I have actually cancelled a prior engagement so that I can go.

delia said...

Fab news! Maybe it will grow and grow and be an annual event. I can just imagine marquees and long tables and beer and food and music and and and and ...

petrolstationvillage said...

It has to be backed up with a campaign (to the Beer Festival goers) to stop motorists from drinking and driving. Why should other people be killed just because some people 'want to enjoy themselves'. The police need to focus on the beer festival goers, as many people do not know what their limit is. Some motorists are mature enough to deal with this but unfortunately many aren't and that's where the problem lies.

petrolstationvillage

Anonymous said...

It would be good if the Beer Festival promoted low alcohol drinks too!

Petrolvillage

Anonymous said...

FFS people get a grip. It's a beer festival. Why do 'issues' have to be tacked onto it? It's about drinking and enjoying beer, that's all it is. Go and wring your hands somewhere else you feckless idiots.

delia said...

Yes there is nothing wrong with a Beer Festival especially if it is designed for everyone as it can attract great food outlets and entertainment. Non alcoholic beers are also worth their while ... as those of us who do not drink can join in the festivities whilst our friends sample the beer on offer. That way everyone can enjoy the festival even kids. They do in other countries so why not here. The answer is always to be inclusive and not exclusive. May it grow and grow and become the South's Oktoberfest. What fun!!!!

Anonymous said...

Beer festivals are a sneaky way of getting famillies involved and vulnerable people. Thereby encouraging kids to grow up and become drinkers.

It is perfect, it brings a sense of community.. and yet drink destroys a community. Sensible drinking is practised in parts of Europe but British kids (some of them), cause mayhem when they binge. I bet the Tonbridge Police can tell you a few things about drunks at 18th birthday parties. Then I see effects of drink driving (all age groups) and domestic violence (all classes, ages etc. Parents often haven't a clue what they're up to. Hospitals are rife with drunks having their stomachs pumped. What a waste of their time, and the police who have to pick them up (again).

There is no refuge for women in Tonbridge, if women are being beaten up by drunken men. Women get the brunt of all the violence. What about the effects on children? I have met women with their children in Tonbridge, running away from their violent partners. Yet, often the children are returned back to their home to face the onslaught again. How can they focus on their homework? The beer companies only care about the profits, not the effects of their product.

Also to Anonymous, I ask Tonbridge Blog to make sure that people who comment are polite as it will stop people wanting to make comments here.

Petrolstationvillage

Tonbridge blogger said...

Wow this seems to have created a little bit of a stir this topic. Here was me thinking that some readers of this blog might just be interested in knowing about the event. I didn't think for one minute that some people would object to the festival. Having said that isn't that what makes a local blog worth bothering with? If we all had the same views life would be pretty dull. I would say though, in its defence, that it is in a rugby club, so I wouldn't say that they were excactly being sneaky, as one comment suggested. Most people realise what's involved with this kind of event. Maybe it is just a middle class excuse for getting blitzed! Who knows! I'd personally rather have this kind of event than lager swilling youths smashing glasses, and sometimes faces, in the street outside the town's bars. I'm pretty sure that the idea of a beer fest is so that one can sample some more unusual beers, taste the aromatic herbs and appreciate the subtle flavours and the lifetime of experience that goes into making these niche market ales. Then get absolutely trousered on them! Anyway Paul Bailey, I happen to know that the Rugby Club are looking for volunteers for the event. I have a feeling that you could be just the man! As I've wiped the email I had about it you could look on their web site for contact details....

Anonymous said...

Yes, life would be boring if we all had the same view.

Petrolstationvillage

Paul Bailey said...

Myself, plus several other members of West Kent CAMRA helped out at the previous two SIBA (Society of Independent Brewers) fesstivals held at the Hop Farm. To date we have not been approached to help at this one, but if asked would be pleased to. (Will check the link later, although I do know some of the people involved with the festival).

Like yourself, Tonbridge Blogger, I didn't expect such controversy to surround this event. Over the last 30 years or so, I have attended dozens of such events. Everyone has a good time, no-one gets absolutely plastered and there is normally a fantastic atmosphere. I can honestly say I have never been to a festival where there is any trouble. Real Ale fans enjoy sampling different beers, and the SIBA events are designed to showcase the products of the growing number of small, independent brewers in the South East.

At a time when beer sales are in decline, the small and micro-brewery sector is one area where this trend has been reversed. Far from knocking such events thay should be applauded for highlighting one of the few success stories in these troubled economic times, and deserve our full support.

No-one in their right minds drives to a beer festival, and given the location there is absolutely no need to. Silly scare stories about drunk drivers and wife beaters are complete nonsense, especially when linked to such events. I sometimes despair of the negative whimers and whingers in this town, but am confident that this event will be a great success.

Anonymous said...

Not an important issue? Well, at the Peterborough Beer Festival, their Council had a pro-active and responsible approach to tackling drink drinking and even organised a 'crashed car' to be placed at the Beer Festival itself showing beer goers the effects of drink driving. It was in association with CAMRA.

"Beverley Jones, Road Safety Officer for the city council, said, "Thebeer festival is a great local event for all the family and we want people tocome along and enjoy themselves. We hope, as in the past, that people will heedthe warning that drinking and driving do not mix. Sadly, each year some 3,500people are killed or seriously injured in drink drive accidents. Any amount ofalcohol will affect a drivers ability to react to situations and judge speed and distance. We would urge people who plan to have a drink to leave their carbehind and make use of the public transport services including taxis."
Harry Morten for CAMRA said, "The festival site is ideally located andis only a short distance from both the bus and railway stations. There will alsobe a temporary taxi rank operating from the embankment and we would encouragepeople to be sensible and choose one of these options to travel home safely fromthe Beer Festival."


The Tonbridge Beer Festival, curiously enough, doesn't mention a thing about anti-drink driving. I can't see it anywhere. It seems very complacent about an important issue, important enough to be an 'issue' at another beer festival. I am a little puzzled why the message hasn't been mentioned on the Beer Festival website, particularly as people will be drinking till 11pm.
Sounds badly organised to me that this has been 'left off'. I like to think people 'won't drink and drive'.. but of course people will. People do it all the time. The local paper is rife and the beer festival should have at least highlighted the message.

Not whining, just plain common sense.


End of Sermon!

Petrolstationvillage

Tonbridgeblog - this heated debate has probably made your stats skyrocket.

PS I think the Courier should ask locals what they think of drink driving in one of their community interviews.

Anonymous said...

Just come back, and spotted this in the news today (so the sermon doesn't quite endeth) reinforcing that people need to take responsibility for their actions and know their limit.

Here, a typical story of what people have to put up with ' alkies':- (a silly wife beater story??)

"An epileptic woman found dead at her Dartford home had been severely beaten by her alcoholic partner, a court heard.

Steven Stallion punched Vicky Tomsett at least seven times to her head and face, causing bleeding to the brain, it was alleged....

Alan Kent QC, prosecuting, told Maidstone Crown Court: "The prosecution case is this defendant killed Vicky Tomsett. We say he repeatedly punched her to the head and face".


It is seeing alkies do stuff like this in the papers constantly, you kind of get fed up with boozers and the drinks industry. And it really doesn't help when some greedy Tonbridge pubs do these stupid 'drinking competitions', to 'vulnerable people' or flogging cheap drinks. Not to mention people supporting the Beer Festival, because 'things like that are boring'.

In view of my personal experience of domestic violence, I feel no longer able to continue commenting on this blog.


Petrolstationvillage

Paul Bailey said...

One would think that with all the negative comments flying around on this posting, a group of satanists were planning to hold a festival of black magic involving torture and human sacrifice, instead of a properly organised and responsibly run beer festival. Get a grip Petrolstationvillage this is not the end of civilisation as we know it!

For the record far more people are killed on the roads by sober drivers than drunk ones - not that I am condoning for one minute anyone who gets behind the wheel of a car after drinking. And whilst on the subject of domestic violence, what about the men who suffer at the hands of a violent female partner? It happens, but goes largely un-reported.

delia said...

I think the festival is a great idea but I also think that a reminder of not to drink and drive is also a sensible idea.

Anonymous said...

I think Petrolstationvillage is a complete cock. He (or she) really ought to get out a bit more!